


No Footsteps On The Ground

by monkiainen



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur is an idiot, M/M, Merlin Hates Christmas, Oblivious Arthur, Past sad Christmases, Single Parents, but he has his reasons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:33:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27916063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monkiainen/pseuds/monkiainen
Summary: Merlin hates Christmas.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17
Collections: WinterKnights 2020 - a Merlin Winter/Holiday Fest





	No Footsteps On The Ground

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt _Merlin hates Christmas because that's when his father left and it always makes his mum sad. Arthur is determined to make the holiday happy for them both._

Merlin hates Christmas. 

Well, honestly speaking, he doesn't exactly hate Christmas as a holiday. He only hates how it makes him feel.

Even after all these years the pain of his father leaving on Christmas Eve of all days is still there, never fading. When everyone else is overjoyed with the opportunity to spend quality time with their loved, Merlin is just… sad. His mother was never the same after that fateful Christmas.

First couple of years Merlin tries his best to cheer up his mother during the holidays. He makes the best gifts, decorates the whole house, and sings Christmas carols out of tune. He even learns how to make his mother's favourite foods when he is a bit older. And nothing helps. She is still unhappy every bloody Christmas, no matter how hard Merlin tries.

So Merlin quits trying. What was the point anyway? Nothing would make his mother happy on Christmas.

Merlin knows some of his uni friends call him Grinch behind his back. Fine. Whatever. Just because Merlin hates Christmas it doesn't mean others couldn't enjoy the holiday. For as long they didn't try to drag Merlin along to their stupid festivities. It all works out just fine, until Lancelot starts dating Guinevere.

See, Merlin has nothing against Guinevere, or Gwen like she prefers to be called. It's just that Gwen is friends with Morgana, who soon starts hanging around with their group of friends. Which is fine, because Morgana rivals Merlin with her sarcasm. It all goes pretty sour the moment Morgana thinks she should introduce her step-brother Arthur to the gang.

Infuriating, arrogant, stupid Arthur.

The conversation flows nicely up until the point when the talk about who is doing what during holidays comes up. Morgana complains she has nothing exciting planned and innocently asks Merlin if perhaps he is doing anything interesting. Merlin just tells her the same thing he tells everyone else – Merlin doesn't celebrate Christmas at all.

It would have quite alright, to leave it right there, but then Arthur has to open his big, stupid mouth and demand Merlin to tell why exactly he doesn't celebrate Christmas. Gods, Arthur knew Merlin was boring, but not celebrating Christmas? Why would Merlin want to ruin everyone else's good mood and be a bore?

Lancelot tries in vain to stop Arthur, but it's too late. The damage is already done, and Merlin rushes away from the scene, tears falling from his eyes.

If possible, this Christmas is even more miserable than all the previous Christmases together.

Things are different when Merlin returns back to the city. Arthur is… different, in a way Merlin can't first explain. He seems more quiet, more subdued, which fits Merlin just fine. The more quiet Arthur doesn't say stupid things aloud.

It's sometime in early April when they finally talk about things. Arthur actually apologized for being a twat – apparently Gwen had told Arthur just why exactly Merlin doesn't celebrate Christmas and how inconsiderate Arthur had been. It had taken Arthur all this time to gather courage and talk to Merlin, because he was sure Merlin would never want to hear him out.

A small, pettier part of Merlin does not want to forgive Arthur. But because Merlin is who he is, he accepts Arthur's apology. They sort of become friends after that. Until they aren't friends anymore, but something more. Later on Morgana jokes that Merlin and Arthur are the only two people she knows that would date on months before realising themselves that they are actually dating.

It's Christmas time again, but Merlin isn't so sad and gloomy this year.


End file.
